Prodigy
by HIiAMbored
Summary: How far would one go to seek his family's story, and understand one's inability to carry on the legacy? Shane was supposed to be gifted, yet something had happened along to way...


_How much is one willing to pay for greatness?_

The sun blazed mercilessly on the fields of Henesys. The earth was lush, and the fields were serene. A group of children walked past, each chattering with anticipation. In front of them was their teacher.

"Children, children, will you all please be quiet? You're disturbing the other archers in training."

The noise increased further as the group slowly approached their destination.

"Whoever doesn't stop talking will give up his place in this examination." That was the ultimatum. Immediately, the children stopped talking.

"Good. Alright, as you all know, this test is your final station before you advance to become official archers- The test of marksman. Since it's the first time most of you are taking this test," He suddenly hesitated, and took a quick glance at the group. A few of the children tilted their heads in response, before he decided to carry on his instructions. One small child, though, looked wearily at his shoes, ignoring his teacher's sudden pause.

"Since it's the first time most of you are taking this test, I shall explain the rules. Hit the targets, as simple as that. You have sixteen shots. The first eight will be thirty meters away from the actual target, while the next eight will be fifty meters away. Scoring system shall be based on how close your arrows are to the bull's eye. As you can see, there are ten rings. When your arrow hits a ring on the outside, it is only worth one point. The ring in the centre should be your aim, as it is worth ten. Well, you pass the test when you score sixty points… Are there any questions? If not, let the test of marksman begin."

Immediately, the noise level shot up as excitement grew. Each child was eager to finally make his first job advancement, a step towards his desired path. It was an easy test to pass, as most people were able to pass it. In history, though, there were only two people that had a hundred and sixty points, the full marks for this very first test as an archer. Even Athena Pierce, the leader of the hunters, was unable to achieve such standards.

However, there were indeed failures. What did surprise town folks, though, was that there was a child that had missed his target on more than three occasions. What was more surprising was that this child was supposed to be a prodigy.

Every child took up his bow, except one. As they each began their volleys of fire, the child hesitated. The teacher walked over.

"Don't worry, Shane, this test is easy."

The boy looked up. His brown eyes complemented his chocolate-colored hair, and it betrayed a sense of nostalgia.

"I don't think I can do this, sir. This is my fourth attempt already. I know I've already made history by being the only person to have failed so many times… What would it matter this time?" An awkward silence came.

"Just do your best, and trust yourself. Remember who you really are, and have faith, child," The teacher finally spoke. His tone was slow and his voice was reassuring. Yet, a sense of doubt was palpable. Neither party really believed that he could really do it. He trained, and he trained hard. Yet, he could never have matched up to his father's standards.

His father was a prodigy, being able to fire two shots with precision before even making it past the first job advancement. His grandfather was yet another legend. He had single handedly fend off a group of Vikings that had tried to invade Henesys. Together, they held the record in the test of marksman.

Shane never had a friend, for he was well beyond the age of his classmates, being one of the few that had failed to advance to the next level. His parents had left him before he even had the chance to speak his first words. He was told they died trying to protect him. Henesys had high hopes for him, yet he was a disappointment.

Shane took up his bow, and fired a shot. It fell short of target.

"Try using more strength, and aim higher," The teacher smiled, trying to release the stress of the child. The other children were already laughing as they had passed the test. Each were comparing their results and praising the one with the highest score.

Shane shot yet again. Soon, he had fired his first eight shots in the test, and none had hit the mark. However, the teacher did not move the mark to the fifty meters mark it was supposed to have been. He knew there was no point, for Shane would surely fail again.

"Don't worry; it's natural to be a late bloomer. I know you are one. Just finish this test and we'll try again next year" He spoke, patting Shane on the back.

Tears welled up in his eyes. "Why was god so unfair in his treatment to the talents in the family?" He clenched his fists, having thrown the bow to the ground. All the other children suddenly stopped talking, and looked at Shane.

Shane then ran. Tears cascaded down, falling freely. His vision was blurred from the tears. Still, he continued his run. Where was he running to, and who was he to look to for comfort? These thoughts came up in his mind, yet he did not care. All he knew was humiliation, embarrassment, and a cry for injustice that had befallen on him.

"Shane, stop!"A feminine voice spoke. It held command and authority, and belonged to one of the greatest archers that had lived in the land. Shane stopped.

"Ath-Athena?" He asked. He then began to wipe his tears. "I, I… Why must heaven be so unfair?"  
"Shane, I know you are upset… But, can I have a word with you? It concerns you."


End file.
